Positive
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- In common usage positive is sometimes used in affirmation, as a synonym for "yes" or to express "certainty".
- Sometimes means a beneficial, nurturing or optimistic influence.
- In economics a positive statement speaks only about what are predictions of behavior of economic actors and not the normative aspect what what actors should do. See positive economics.
- In mathematics, a number is called positive if its value is greater than zero. See negative and non-negative numbers.
- In functional analysis, a bounded linear operator is positive if its spectrum consists of positive real numbers.
- In physics, one distinguishes positive and negative electric charges.
- In optics, converging lenses are also called positive lenses.
- In linguistics, positive is the form of an adjective or adverb on which comparative and superlative are formed.
- If a scientific test for a condition or hypothesis is applied, the outcome is termed positive if the condition is detected or the hypothesis confirmed (or, rather, not disproved).
- If a medical test for a certain disease is applied, the outcome is termed positive if the disease is detected.
- In the humanities and social sciences, a theory is called positive if it aims to describe what is the case as opposed to what ought to be the case. See positive science.
- In the philosophy of law and other areas, a right or freedom may be positive (see negative and positive rights).
- In philosophy, positivism is the name for theories which aim to be based on facts alone, eschewing metaphysics and religion.
- In astrology, positive is a term commonly used to described the supposedly extroverted personalities of the fire and air signs.
- In policy debate, affirmative is the team which affirms the resolution.
